It has been rightly stated that though you may thrive on the city’s energy, it is necessary to leave the hustle and bustle of the metropolis frequently and walk in parks. You are more sensitive than you have ever realized. Find a spot that makes you happy.
Well, one of those spots you might want to consider is the Priory Lake in Bedford Borough. It is the perfect space for your regal walk! Priory Country Park stirs within you a feeling of a home away from home. And this is the reason I can't stop thinking of my next day out at the park. I yearn to see once more - and many times more - the outstretching green space of lakes, meadows, and woodland that offers peace and tranquility.
The Priory Country Park is a 360-acre space with such habitats as meadows and reed beds, enclosed within a bend of the River Great Ouse. It was the perfect point for me to have the long-desired quiet walk by the calm waters of a lake with an overhead lining of blue and pearly skies. The Priory Country Park invites, however, more than just a quiet walk. There is also room for fishing – after gaining a permit of course. There is the Riverside Pond, which is popular among anglers, fishing for tench and pike. There are also play areas for your kids to gaze in awe as their kites soar. There are bird hides to steal peeks at birds in their natural habitats, and you can even participate in water sports and cycling activities.
The Priory Country Park is not without tempting and delicious refreshments. There is the Cloverdale Retreat with outdoor decking and excellent views of the Priory Lake. The menu includes homemade cuisine and a variety of teas, coffees and cold drinks. I also saw an ice-cream van outside the Visitor Centre, and I heard it comes around on most weekends and school holidays. The Priory Country Park certainly lives up to its award-winning status with a Green Flag. The Green Flag itself signifies its quality amongst parks in the United Kingdom, and around the world.
Within these present times of stress and isolation due to lockdowns and closure, though these yearned for pockets of paradise are presently beyond your reach, you can imagine…and anticipate… times to come when you can still enjoy a glorious day walking around the lakes beneath the blue skies, sitting on benches or even on the lush green grass, (keeping the 2m safety distance!) yet knowing that the time will come when nature welcomes us back.
Priory Country Park is, when our world eventually returns to normalcy, an ideal day out to escape from the rat race and we can share, care and dare to meet, greet, hug and spend endless summer days with family and friends. Imagine it! Little expense. Easily accessible by car or public transport. Idyllic location. Perfect photo opportunities!
You can find Priory Country Park off Barkers Lane in the Newnham region of Bedford. There is also parking space on-site, so drive down with your loved ones, or alone, and enjoy this beauty of a lake – as I did. You will find that a walk hand in hand with nature indeed leads the soul back home.
Address: Barkers Ln, Bedford MK41 9DJ
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